Prefabricated walls

ABSTRACT

PREFABRICATED WALLS PROVIDED WITH EXTERNAL FRAMES AND INTERNAL FRAMES WITH THE LATTER FRAMES BEING CAPABLE OF INSTALLATION IN THE FORMER, WHEREBY A PANEL ASSEMBLED IN THE EXTERNAL FRAME, CAN BE FORCED AGAINST A STOP CARRIED BY THE EXTERNAL FRAME.

United States Patent ()1 iice 3,555,760 Patented Jan. 19, 1971 3,555,760 PREFABRICATED WALLS Heinz Wastian, Zieglergasse 57, Vienna, Austria Filed Sept. 10, 1968, Ser. No. 758,755 Int. Cl. E04c 2/26, 2/38 U.S. Cl. 52-476 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a prefabricated wall with external frames and internal frames which can be installed in the former wherein a panel assembled in the external frame, can be pressed up against a stop carried by said external frame.

In known designs of this kind, the internal frame which forces the panel up against the stop carried b the external frame, is fixed to the external frame by means of screws. A design of this type is disadvantageous for the reason that this renders the assembly and dismantling of the wall a relatively laborious and time-wasting procedure. A particular drawback, however, is that the tapped holes provided in the external frame and the clearance holes provided in the internal frame for the passage of the fixing screws, must be located on both frames at points which are predetermined by the thickness of the panel. If this condition is not satisfied, then either the installed panel will be loose or the wall will be impossible to assemble because the thickness of the wall-plate prevents the internal frame from being screwed to the external frame. i

It is an object of the present invention, while avoiding the stated drawback, to provide a prefabricated wall of the kind hereinbefore mentioned, which can be assembled or dismantled simply, with the correct location and securing of the panels being ensured at the same time even though their thicknesses may vary from one to the next.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention consists in a prefabricated wall, with an external frame and an internal frame which can be located therein, whereby a panel fitted into the external frame can be pressed up against a stop carried by said external frame and in which said internal frame is adapted to be held to the external frame by pins which, extending from either the internal or external frame, can be located in guide slots inclined obliquely downwards towards the installed panel, with the slots being provided in the other frame.

As soon as the pins provided on the one frame, have been brought into engagement with the guide slots provided in the other, the panel, guided by the slots, slides down under the influence of gravity until it comes into contact with the stop arranged on the external frame. If, then, a relatively light downward force is then exerted upon the internal frame, this Will cause the panel to be seated firmly against the stop provided on the external frame. The panel is thus wedged between said stop and the internal frame held to the external frame by the pins.

Advantageously, the guide slots will be provided in the external frame and the pins displaceably mounted upon the internal frame. A further development of this kind enables particularly simple assembly and dismantling to be carried out, because the pins can be pushed back to such an extent that the internal frame can be easily fitted into the external frame, whereupon the pins are then moved forward to engage in the slots. The slidably mounted pins can, in this context, be provided with enlarged zones at their ends, with the width of the guide slotsprovided in the external frame being greater than the diameter of the enlarged zones. Consequently, inadvertent escape of the pins from the guide slots and also from the internal frame itself, is prevented, without impairing the simplicity of assembly and dismantling. The pins and guide slots can be provided at mutually opposite sides of the internal and external frame respectively, in pairs located at the same level, and this improves the ease of judgment when assembling or dismantling the finished components forming the wall and is also a favorable factor in achieving a uniform contact force on both sides.

In carrying the invention into effect by way of example, in the accompanying drawings; in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 illustrates a prefabricated wall in elevation; FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 is a view taken on line III-III of FIG. 1.

The reference 1 indicates the external frame and reference 2 the internal frame assembled therein and by means of which a panel 3, located in the external frame, is wedged into contact with a stop 4 carried by said external frame. The stop 4 is, in this context, constituted by a flange extending around the full periphery of the external frame, into its free cross-section. The internal frame 2., when the wall is assembled, is supported on the external frame 1 through the medium of pins 5 which are displaceably mounted in bearing eyes 6 in side sections 7 of the internal frame. The pins 5, in the assembled condition, engage in guide slots 8 provided in the external frame 1, and the slots run obliquely downwards toward the assembled panel 3.

The pins 5 slidably mounted in the internal frame, are provided with enlarged ends 5', 5". The width b of the guide slots 8 in the external frame, is greater than the diameter d of the enlarged end 5 of the pins. The pins 5 and guide slots 8 are provided at mutually opposite sides of the internal frame 2 and external frame 1, respectively, and are located in pairs at the same level. If the frames and the panels are to have a relatively great height, then several superimposed pairs of pins and slots will be provided. As the drawing indicates, the external frames have a space on either side for other internal frames and panels. Likewise, additional frames and panels can be built up in the vertical direction adjacent to one another. As far as the pins are concerned, these may equally well be slidably mounted in the external frame, contrary to what has been illustrated, that is to say, they may project from the external frame and be designed to co-operate with oblique guide slots running down towards the assembled panel and provided in the internal frame, although this in no way affects the advantageous operation of the invention.

When assembling the wall, first of all the panel 3 is placed in the external frame 1, whereupon, with the pins 5 retracted, the internal frame 2 is assembled. The pins 5 are then moved forward into the guide slots 8 arranged in the internal frame. After releasing the internal frame 2, it slides down along the guide slots 8 towards the panel 3 and wedges it onto the stop 4 provided on the frame 1. Any tendency of the pins to slip out of the guide slots or the bearing eyes 6, is inhibited by the enlarged ends 5', 5" of the pins. As already mentioned, the force with which the panel 3 is pressed into contact with the stop 4, can be still further increased by exerting a downward pressure on the internal frame, such as for example by a light hammer blow. The panel 3 is then fixed in firmly around the whole of its periphery and secured against any displacement or for that matter distortion.

When it is desired to dismantle the wall, a light upward blow is given to the internal frame, releasing the components, so that the pins 5 can be withdrawn from the guide slots 8. The internal frame can then be removed from the external frame as well as the panel 3.

The prefabricated wall as thus described, is easy and quick to assemble and dismantle. It is particularly suitable for exhibition panels for fairs, and for lining unpainted masonry walls. The wall panels can be made up of such varied materials as wood, sheet metal, synthetic material, et cetera. Distortion of the panels is effectively prevented by the all-round uniform method of fixing.

I claim:

,1. A prefabricated wall comprising a closed external frame, said external frame having a stop flange extending inwardly of the perimeter thereof, a panel of lesser outer dimensions than the internal dimensions of the external frame positioned within the external frame and having a face thereof in engagement with the stop flange, a closed internal frame having outer dimensions less than the internal dimensions of the external frame positioned within the external frame and contacting the face of the panel opposite the panel face in engagement with the stop flange, pin means carried by one of said frames, and having a portion projecting therefrom the other of said frames being provided with a guide slot of uniform width extending obliquely of the longitudinal axis of the frame and in the direction of the panel said slot receiving the projecting portion of the pin means, axial movement of the pin means in the oblique slot under the influence of gravity camrning the internal frame and panel toward said stop flange thereby wedging said panel against said stop flange and between the external and internal frames.

2. The prefabricated wall as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pin means is enlarged at each end, and the width of the guide slot is greater than the diameter of the ends of said pin means.

3. A prefabricated wall comprising a closed externa 4 frame, said external frame having a flange extending inwardly of the perimeter thereof and constituting a stop, a panel of lesser outer dimensions than the internal dimensions of the external frame positioned within the external frame and having a face thereof in engagement with the flange, a closed internal frame having outer dimensions less than the internal dimensions of the external frame for positioning within the external frame and contacting the face of the panel opposite the panel face in engagement with the flange, the external frame being provided with opposed guide slots arranged in pairs on the internal periphery thereof, said guide slots being of uniform width and extending obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the external frame and in the direction of the panel, pin means carried by the internal frame, said pin means having portions projecting outwardly of the internal frame and being enlarged at each end, said portions being mounted in the pairs of guide slots, the width of the guide slots being greater than the diameter of the enlarged ends of the pin means, whereby axial movement of the pins in said slots cams said inner frame toward said stop and clamps said panel between said stop and inner frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 174,239 2/1878 Hibbard 49-463 1,023,479 4/1912 Wilkinson '52-499 1,087,551 2/1914 Reed 49-463 1,245,045 10/1917 Scott 160-371 1,590,051 6/1926 Nesheim 52-476 3,154,819 11/1964 Walter 49-464 3,376,669 4/1968 Johnston 49-463 3,380,192 4/ 1968 McKenna 49-463 3,413,770 12/1968 Adams 52-476 FOREIGN PATENTS 189,363 1955 Austria 52-500 HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 52-500, 624, 6 

